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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

On Donations & Children

Recently, RCPL used a donation from the estate of Gilmer A. Horton to purchase books for children and young adults. Our Facebook page has a picture of Children's Coordinator Jamie Rexrode with a display of the books purchased. Some purchases were new fiction or non-fiction books while others replaced tattered copies of classics and Newbery Award-winners.

This wasn't the first time the late Mrs. Horton was party to a donation to the library. In 2004, the family of Elizabeth Ayers (Mrs. Horton's mother who was raised in Russell County) made a donation in their mother's memory. Before making the donation, Mrs. Horton and several of her siblings--a couple of lively gray-headed women and one gentleman who claimed only to be chauffeur!--visited the library director, inquiring about what the library needed and talking about their family's connection to Russell County.

Some times when the family has a reunion, they decide to make a gift to honor a family member. In 2004 they decided the gift should be to the Russell County Public Library. 'Gil,' as Mrs. Horton was known to her family, worked many years in church education, writing and training teachers to use Presbyterian Sunday School materials. When she died, her estate included a donation to RCPL; she had made it clear she wanted the money used for children's books.

In these difficult times, it's good to remember our roots, to honor deserving individuals, and to be generous when we can. Mrs. Horton's sister, Mary Peterson, said "Children were always number 1 with Gil." We at the library agree and send a big "Thank You" to the late Gilmer A. Horton.